


To Catch A Witch

by mementomoe



Category: Cinderella Phenomenon (Visual Novel)
Genre: First Meetings, Gen, Mentions of Character Death, Mentions of Hildyr, Pre-Canon, Set early in the War
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-25
Updated: 2019-12-25
Packaged: 2021-02-25 22:47:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,020
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21673168
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mementomoe/pseuds/mementomoe
Summary: Early in the war, Parfait doesn't know how to handle the new Fairytale Curse except for offering comfort.But then one stormy night...
Relationships: Delora & Parfait (Cinderella Phenomenon)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 4
Collections: Yuletide 2019





	To Catch A Witch

**Author's Note:**

  * For [Quin](https://archiveofourown.org/users/Quin/gifts).



It storms. It’s done so for the past few days. A few months ago, her best friend’s heart broke, and with it, something dark replaced it.

Parfait hardly knows what to do about this new magic spell Hildyr made. People call it the fairytale curse. Dark spells that force the lives of Grimm’s creations onto others. Several have sought out fairies like her, and she can hardly start to welcome them somewhere.

The curse needs to be studied. There has to be ways to undo it. Something so powerful can’t exist without loopholes, ways for the subject to free themselves. So she found a nice building in Angielle, an inn.

A few of the cursed found their way to her, but she can’t help them. Every loophole she finds is something that must be done by them alone. All she can do is offer comfort and advice.

As she wipes down the table, she hears a knock at the door.

She hardly opens it before the figure passes through. A heavy black cloak covers most of them, gold trimming. Either someone noble was curse, or this is a witch.

“You are Lady Parfait, correct?” the figure’s voice says. Smooth and low, but feminine.

Parfait watches them intently. “And what might give you that idea?”

“A poor woman cursed with the fairytale curse of Wonderland mentioned a place called the Märchen near me the other day. Run by a fairy named Parfait. I do not think the poor woman knows the Lucis bearer herself is the one who comforts her.”

The figure sits down.

Parfait is uncertain to make of this. She thought she had a spell protecting people from finding it if they bear harm. She knows the girl, and perhaps her maddening curse managed to circumvent the spell. It was quite a weak one.

She takes a breath. “Do you mind mentioning how you know that? Who are you.”

The figure takes off her hood. Hair like black silk, eyes of oddly warm red-brown. Parfait holds back a breath, but knows for certain now that a witch has crossed into this haven for the cursed.

“My name is Delora,” she says. It surprises Parfait she doesn’t speak in riddles about her name. “I wanted to be neutral when Hildyr declared war on the humans and fairies.”

Neutral? She wanted to be neutral? Let people suffer and die.

Delora speaks up. “I know, it’s a terrible thing. I knew it was wrong, but I needed the push to know I’m not better unless I fight back. The way she forced the King into a marriage, how she killed the Cresswell family, and then she punished me for choosing neutrality.”

She fidgets, and her eyes close. “My husband and daughter are dead. It’s my fault. It was supposed to make me help her war. Know what she felt, but all I could think was how this pain is what Angielle feals. This fear, this uncertainty.”

“Hildyr is my friend,” Parfait says.

“And the leader of my kind, but she has no sense of right and wrong any longer. I cannot follow her.”

Parfait doesn’t wish to trust her. There must be a secret to how she slid past the spell. None who wished harm could — _none who wished harm_. This change is genuine. Or at least she is some sleeper who others can use.

Such a plan would take time, and she can try and plan against it should it happen. Better spells to protect the Märchen. Perhaps with Delora’s help. If someone uses her to try and infiltrate the tavern, Parfait can use her to stop that from happening.

“And what do you seek from me, Delora. I will not shield a neutral party.”

Delora looks up at her. “I know how witches think. I am one. There are only so many who are doing this because they wish harm, but even then, I can tell you how one would pick a person. What curse it is, and what kinds of escapes someone needs. The kind to keep one from unraveling, but remain powerful. My mind is yours. My spells are yours.”

Parfait watches as her eyes widen. The woman pleads without saying more.

Something is beautiful about the woman. How every claim sounds like she means it. Parfait closes her eyes and taps her hand to her temple. A weak spell to sense truth. She wishes for something stronger, but the stronger magic is too attention-getting. If the woman lies, she’ll leave, and be able to give too much information to those who wait. “Please, repeat that.”

Delora stands up as soon as Parfait opens her eyes again. She can hear thunder crash outside. The worst of the storm is close. “I will help you end the curses my kin use to ravage the populace. I have no intention to help.” There’s more conviction than before.

Nothing changes in her vision. The spell does not react to her words.

“The first thing I can tell you is that there is only one witch who can dispel the curse. Either individually or in a group. And she has no intention to do so. Not after her new ascension to queen of Angielle.”

Parfait had not thought such was possible. “And should we kill her. Would the curses end?”

“Only if there are no witches left,” she says. “I cannot confirm such, but I doubt the curse is tied to Hildyr. It’s tied to the crystal.”

Delora stands up and offers her hand. “Do I have your trust, Parfait? Would you let a witch help you?”

Everything feels right. She passed a simple test before. Parfait takes her hand. “I welcome the help of a witch.”

“To catch a witch it takes one,” Delora says. “Or at least her knowledge. Your magic may be more useful in the end.”

The storm continues, but inside, all is calm as the deal is made. Parfait misses her friendships with witches, so knowing there’s at least one that won’t do Hildyr's work gives her hope.

Parfait likes that phrase, too. To catch a witch.


End file.
